£256 pound to plasy with what can i do???

[Cheese Specialist]

well im gonna get the paper tonight and check in there and keep on checking until next week, if there is no luck then im just gonna stick with the 3ft tank. im going the fish shop tommorrow so i will check the full size and maybe take a few pics lol. Also the tank i have at the moment my catfish seem to go from the bottom and try and swim to the top is there a reason for this? thanks chris.

It depends what kind they are. Cories do that naturally as a means of getting air.

You didn't answer the questions above. Seen as though you have fish in mind, I suggest you research them to find out what they need and go from there. You really need to think about this when you want plecs because they will take up a lot of bio-load in such a small water volume.

Maybe try Aquarist Classified and eBay or maybe Ad Trader. I have used them to get stuff in the past.

 

[chrisfagan16]

okay then thanks. ive added you on hotmail now so we can chat easier. Chris.

 

[bunjiweb]

Hey mate,

Don't be afraid to go with what feels right to you. My first tropical tank was only 5 gallons and now I have a tank 10 times that. It all depends on if you REALLY think you are going to get in to the hobby or not. Most people do including me, but don't be afraid to stick to something fairly substantial like a 3ft.

Remember, you can fit plenty of nice fish in a 3ft, but always research what you like before you buy it, pay plenty of visits to your local fish shop to asses their tanks and see what seems to be getting on well there.

And as said be patient. No one can wait for ever without fish but it's better to get stable readings especially if going with live plants before you add any fish. Obviously you can do a cycle with fish but make sure it's something hardy like danios or platies. Even if you do cycle with fish, I would let the tank filter for at least a week before you add them, and change some of the water or sift the top few inches of the tank with a clean cloth.


These are just some of the things i've picked up in my very short time as a tropical fish keeper, and If anyone thinks i've passed on some wrong advice feel free to shout out..... but be nice...

Ben

 

[Jimmy927]

go on ebay.

ebay

jimbob

 

[Sky042]

did this thread get moved into the pictures section by accident?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I agree with you Ben, but I think the telling thing is that you said:

My first tropical tank was only 5 gallons and now I have a tank 10 times that.

Chris,

I just think you should get the biggest you can afford/fit. It saves hassle in the long run. I am not trying to make you do something you don't want to or can't but I know how expensive tanks are and how saving was a nightmare at 16, so I am just trying to help you get the best for your money.

Speak to you on MSN soon

did this thread get moved into the pictures section by accident?

Nah, it was put here by Chris. He asked for it to be moved right enough.

 

[chrisfagan16]

okay thanks guys, im thinking of upgrading my tank now to the 4ft one. i saw a beauty in my fish shop for £130 with stand, filter, gravel and loads of other things so dunno, but im gonna leave it till after my gcse's coming up this week bit scared but hopefully i'll get the results so i'll speak to you guys in about a week. Thanks Chris.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

okay thanks guys, im thinking of upgrading my tank now to the 4ft one. i saw a beauty in my fish shop for £130 with stand, filter, gravel and loads of other things so dunno, but im gonna leave it till after my gcse's coming up this week bit scared but hopefully i'll get the results so i'll speak to you guys in about a week. Thanks Chris.

Cool

Good luck with the exams.

 

[chrisfagan16]

hi im in the las week of my exams so hopefully doing well. I got my 3ft tank and im really happy i have a stand aswell i have a south american catfish and if anyone has any information on this fish i would appreciate it i also have all the previous ihabitants of my tank. So im pleased with it and hopefully the fish are thanks for everyones help. Chris.

 

[ryan]

hi im in the las week of my exams so hopefully doing well. I got my 3ft tank and im really happy i have a stand aswell i have a south american catfish and if anyone has any information on this fish i would appreciate it i also have all the previous ihabitants of my tank. So im pleased with it and hopefully the fish are thanks for everyones help. Chris.

Do you have the scientific name there are hundreds of catfish from South America.

 

[CFC]

A good tip to save money on aquarium decorations is to take a look around a local garden centre, often you can buy rocks and large pieces of slate for much less than you can at fish stores which tend to sell thngs by weight. Bogwood/driftwood is just one of those things that cost more than it should really, at a guess id say i probably have around £400 worth of bogwood spread around my tanks. A way of saving money is to buy lots of small pieces of wood from the bottom of the box, usually the bits that have broken off the larger pieces, you can pick these up for a couple of quid per piece and then sort of build them up in the tank to make larger formations, a large solid piece of bogwood is likely to set you back £15 plus.
As already said the mail order plant places are a much better option for starting a planted tank, Greenline is another one you could try which is very cheap with there 90 plant selection for a 3 foot tank costing just £12.40.

 

[wolfie33]

going back to the original question.
i'd personly never buy driftwood from a shop its absolute daylight robery in my lfs it costs about £25 for an average size peice.
when all you need do is get yourself a big bag and a bus ticket to the beach and you will have a great day picking allsorts of tank ornaments wood,shells and rocks just stay well away from the sand especially if you live in the great UK.
i did just this in fleetwood (north england coast) i sent my lad to get me a load and i have some great peices..

as long as we do this then shops will have to drop the prices.

£25 for dead wood HOW DARE THEY!!!!!!!

 

[chrisfagan16]

it just said in the fish store when i bought it that it was a south american catfish, i will go back 2nite and ask the full scientific name. Here's the description of it, fully silver with a grey/black fin, and never stops moving into the tanks current. Hope that helps. thanks chris.

 

[CFC]

From the sounds of the description it could be one of the shark catfish, possibly Arius berneyi or Berney's shark catfish, check out the Ariidae species on planet catfish http/www.planetcatfish.com/core/index.htm. If it is one of these species then it is not a freshwater fish and will need increasing ammounts of salt added to the tank as it grows.

 

[chrisfagan16]

hi i found out that this cat is a south asian catfish not a south american. Will i still have to put salt in the tank?, also i really wanna get some kribensis at the weekend can anyone give me some ideas on the perfect breeding conditions for these fish as it isnt in any of the fish breeding forums. so help is needed thanks chris.